Abstract
We synthesized the current knowledge of cave-dwelling millipede diversity from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi), South China Karst, China and described six new millipede species from four caves from the Guilin area, northeastern Guangxi. Fifty-two cave-dwelling millipedes are known for the region consisting of 38 troglobionts and 14 troglophiles. Of the troglobionts, 24 are presently considered single-cave endemics. New species described here includeHyleoglomerisrukouqusp. nov.andHyleoglomerisxuxiakeisp. nov.(Family Glomeridae),Hylomusyuanisp. nov.(Family Paradoxosomatidae),Eutrichodesmusjianjiasp. nov.(Family Haplodesmidae),Trichopeltisliangfengdongsp. nov.(Family Cryptodesmidae), andGlyphiulusmaocunsp. nov.(Family Cambalopsidae). Our work also resulted in range expansions ofPacidesmustrifidusGolovatch & Geoffroy, 2014,BlingulussinicusZhang & Li, 1981 andGlyphiulusmelanoporusMauriès & Nguyen Duy-Jacquemin, 1997. As with many hypogean animals in Southeast Asia, intensive human activities threaten the persistence of both cave habitats and species. We provide both assessments on the newly described species’ distributions and recommendations for future research and conservation efforts.
Highlights
Southeast Asia is considered the most biologically diverse for troglomorphic animals among the well-sampled tropical regions of the globe (Clements et al 2006)
Based on our knowledge of the South China Karst (SCK) cave-dwelling millipede literature, we summarized the total number of caves sampled and cave-dwelling millipedes detected for Guangxi
For species occurring in two or more caves, maximum distance between caves ranged from 11.22 km for Glyphiulus speobius to 137.27 km for Hylomus scutigeroides (Table 3)
Summary
Southeast Asia is considered the most biologically diverse for troglomorphic animals among the well-sampled tropical regions of the globe (Clements et al 2006). Despite research conducted over the past three decades, few areas in Southeast Asia have been sufficiently investigated and knowledge of cave biological diversity and ecological processes is limited (Deharveng and Bedos 2000). Among the four administrative units in China where this formation occurs, Guangxi is considered the most taxonomically well-studied region. At least 100 troglomorphic (subterranean-adapted) arthropods have been identified from Guangxi (Wynne, unpublished data). Most have been identified as short-range endemic species (Tian 2011, Deharveng et al 2008) with more than half (or 58 species) considered single cave endemics (Gao et al 2018)
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